Umbrella-rib-tip retainer.



F. C. ERNST.

UMBRELLA RIB TIP RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-17, 1914.

1 5144, 182. Patented June 22, 1915.

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v ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PE7ER5 60., PHOTQLITHOU WASHINGTON. D. it

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FRIEDRICH C. ERNST, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

UMBRELLA-RIB-TIP RETAINER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH C. ERNST, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of Kings and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUmbrella-Rib-Tip Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to umbrella rib-tip retainers, or in otherwords to means employed for holding the free ends of the ribs inposition when the umbrella is closed.

Heretofore, as far as known, there have been employed tip-cups upon thehandles of umbrellas to hold the free ends of the ribs together, suchcups being slidably disposed upon the handle, the cups being held inposition either by springs or a turning movement of the cups isnecessary when the latter are to be disengaged from the rib-tips. Springpressed cups are unreliable, and the operation of those cups which haveto be given a partial turn to disengage them from the ribs causes toomuch inconvenience, it being obvious that the opening of an umbrellashould take the least possible time.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a rib-tipretainer that is simple in construction, efficient in operation,convenient to handle, and which can be manufactured on a commercialscale, or inother words one which is not so difiicult to produce as tobe beyond the reasonable cost of such an article.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be madein the size and proportion of the several parts and details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claim without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a section taken through an umbrella handle and part of thestick and the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectiontakenthrough part of the handle and part of the stick, the retainer beingshown Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed October 17, 1914. Serial No. 867,187.

in its closed position; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through asleeve forming one of the elements of the retainer; Fig. 4 is a sectiontaken on line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken throughthe retainer cup; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates an umbrella stick, to which isattached a. handle 11 of any suitable shape. The inner end of thishandle has a reduced portion 12, over which is drawn a sleeve 13. Thissleeve is provided with a longitudinal slot 14, and, on a line that runsparallel to and is disposed diametrically opposite to the slot, with twodepressions, denoted by the numerals 15 and 16. These depressions are,preferably, formed in the sleeve after the latter has been placed inposition upon the handle. "they may be formed by a pointed instrument,whereby the material that bulges out, in forming said depressions, fromthe inner face of the sleeve enters the handle, so that the sleeve isfixedly held in position thereon. On the sleeve is slidably disposed aretaining cup 17, having a cylindrical portion 18, on the inner face ofwhich is formed a longitudinal rib 19, for instance by stamping, saidrib being shorter than and seated in the slot 14 in the sleeve. At apoint diametrically opposite to the rib 19 is formed upon the inner faceof the cylindrical portion of the cup a projection 20, that is adaptedto enter either .one of the depressions 15 and 16 in the sleeve. Thesliding motion of the cup upon the sleeve is limited by the rib 19 andthe slot 14 cooperating therewith. Then the upper edge of the rib 19abuts against the upper edge of the slot 14, the projection 20 is seatedin the depression 15, and, when the lower edge of said rib'abuts againstthe lower edge of said slot, the projection 20 is seated in thedepression 16. In both cases the cup will be firmly held in theseextreme positions, the cup being made of thin sheet metal and being thussomewhat resilient, so that the projection 20 thereon will spring inplace when it is brought into registering position with either one ofthe depressions in the sleeve. At the same time, some force will berequired to unseat the projection 20 from the depressions in the sleeve,so that the cup will be firmly held against accidental or unintentionaloperation. The coacting rib 19 and slot 14: of the cup and in the sleeve,'re--- Then the parts are in the positions SllOWIllL 1n Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the umbrella canbe opened 1n the usual manner,ll'lilSIIlllClll as the cup does not engage with the rib-tips. l/Vhenthe umbrella is closed and it is intended totkeep it in closed position,the cup is slid toward the tips, whereby its projection 20 will beseated in the depression 16 in the sleeve, and held, for the reasonsabove described, in such position.

From the foregoing it appears that the cooperating rib and groove on thecup and in the sleeve, respectively, prevent a rotation of the cup uponthe sleeve, and at the same time limit the sliding motion of the cup onsaid sleeve.

To permit of an opening of the umbrella, it is merely necessary to forcehe cup upward until its projection 20 springs into the depression 15.

An-u-mbrella rib-tip retainer, comprising a sleeve having alongitudinalslot and two depressions at points diametrically oppositetheiisaidi'sl'ot, one of said depressions being disposed near to thelower end and the other one nearthe upper end of said sleeve, and acuphaving a cylindrical portion slidably disposed-upon said sleeve, saidcylindrical portion having a rib seated in said slot, whereby said cupis'p revented from rotating in relation to said sleeve, 7 the.cylindrical portion of said'cupvbeing furthermore provided withajprojection' adapted to enter the depressions in said sleeve,wherebysaid cup is heldlocked both in its upper and lower positions.

Signedat New York, in the county ofNew York, and State of-New'York this15th day Croat, A. n. 1914. r.

FRIEDRICH G. ERNST.

Witnesses:

SIGMUND HERzoe, M. FRIEDLANDER- Goples of this patent may beobtaifiedfo'r five cents each, by addressing the flommisslonerof Patents, Washington, D. G.

